US sanctions Chinese and Iranian targets over Tehran’s missile and military programmes
- The US Treasury says the network of over a dozen people and entities enabled the procurement of sensitive and critical parts technology for Tehran
- China and Iran in March 2021 signed a 25-year cooperation agreement to strengthen their long-standing economic and political alliance
The US on Tuesday imposed sanctions on over a dozen people and entities in Iran, mainland China and Hong Kong, including Iran’s defence attaché in Beijing, accusing them of running a procurement network for Iran’s missile and military programmes.
A US Treasury Department statement said the network conducted transactions and enabled the procurement of sensitive and critical parts and technology for key actors in Iran’s ballistic missile development, including Iran’s defence ministry and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL) agency, which is under US sanctions.
Among those hit with sanctions in the action, which comes as Washington ramps up pressure on Tehran, was Iran’s defence attaché in Beijing, Davoud Damghani, whom the Treasury accused of coordinating military-related procurements from China for Iranian end users, including MODAFL subsidiaries.
“The United States will continue to target illicit transnational procurement networks that covertly support Iran’s ballistic missile production and other military programmes,” Treasury’s Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, Brian Nelson, said in the statement.
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Iran’s mission to the United Nations in New York and China’s embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
